THE Princess Alexandra Hospital NHS Trust (PAHT) welcomed Dame Ruth May, chief nursing officer for England, for a special visit on Tuesday (23 August).

Ruth (pictured, centre, with Giuseppe Labriola, director of midwifery, left, and Sharon McNally, director of nursing, midwifery and allied health professionals and deputy chief executive, right) joined the team as a surprise opportunity, where the hospital showcased the amazing work of its nurses, midwives and allied health professionals to provide high quality care and experiences for patients.

There was a presentation about PAHT’s latest achievements and plans to continually develop the nursing, midwifery and allied health professionals workforce for the future, with a chance for Ruth to meet with colleagues and see the amazing work of teams.

 As part of the event, Cassie Burke, paediatric emergency department sister (pictured, centre), was awarded a prestigious Chief Nursing Officer’s (CNO) Silver Award by Ruth. Cassie was recognised for her fantastic work to support children’s mental health by embedding the We Can Talk campaign at PAHT, where children and young people can show a discreet card when attending the hospital to indicate that they require mental health support.

Sharon McNally, director of nursing, midwifery and allied health professionals and deputy chief executive at PAHT, said: “We were proud to welcome Ruth to PAHT – it was great to share the achievements of our teams and our next steps for nursing, midwifery and the allied health professions.

“Thank you to Ruth and to all of our colleagues who attended – a special congratulations to Cassie for receiving the CNO Silver Award for her outstanding commitment to support children and young people.”

Ruth May added: “It was a privilege to visit The Princess Alexandra Hospital NHS Trust and spend time with clinical teams to hear about their achievements and challenges. I witnessed huge commitment to improving care and experiences. 

“I was delighted to have the opportunity to present Cassie Burke, paediatric emergency department sister, with a Chief Nursing Officer’s (CNO) Silver Award recognising the fantastic work she is doing to support children’s mental health. Cassie’s tireless work and dedication is making a real difference for children and young people attending the emergency department.

“I would like to thank everyone at PAHT for all that they do to support patients and the NHS.”